Nalco to invest ~900 cr in wind power plant

Aluminium PSU National Aluminium Company (Nalco) is looking to set up a 150-Mw wind power plant in Odisha at an estimated investment of ~900 crore.

“We are interested in both wind energy and solar power plants in the state. Given the facilities, Nalco would proceed on these plans. We have requested the Odisha government to provide land and other clearances for the projects,” said T K Chand, chairman and managing director of Nalco.

On Saturday, Union power minister Piyush Goyal, in the presence of tribal affairs minister Jual Oram, dedicated to the nation four wind power plants built by Nalco. The units have a total capacity of 198 Mw.

Both Goyal and Oram are in Bhubaneswar to attend the BJP's national executive meet from April 15 to 16.

The aluminium maker is also planning more wind power plants with a combined capacity of 120 Mw.

Besides, Nalco has inked an MoU with defence ministry PSU - Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd (Midhani) — to make high-end aluminium alloys. Such valued added products, which are used in the aerospace and transportation sectors, would act as import substitute alloys, Chand said.

Nalco has also joined hands with IITBhubaneswar to boost its research activities. Till now, the PSU has earned 29 patents and commercialised five of them.

Nalco and NTPC are jointly setting up a 2400 Mw coalfired, super critical power plant at Gajamara in Dhenkanal district in Odisha, with 1400 Mw in the first phase.

The plant, set up an estimated cost of ~14,000 crore, would cater to Nalco's brownfield and greenfield expansion in aluminium. The navratna PSU is setting up a smelter unit at Kamkahyanagar with a capacity of 0.6 million tonnes per annum, besides expanding its existing brownfield smelter unit at Angul.

Nalco and NTPC are jointly setting up a 2400 Mw coal-fired, super critical power plant at Gajamara in Dhenkanal district in Odisha, with 1400 Mw in the first phase